On International Day of Awesomeness, Be Awesome!

International Day of Awesomeness started in 2007 as an inside joke between coworkers to encourage “feats of awesomeness.” Celebrated every March 10, it now has a worldwide following.
Why March 10th?
“Because that’s Chuck Norris’ birthday,” founder Kevin Lawver explains on his International Day of Awesomeness website. “No offense to Mr. Norris, but this isn’t really a salute to Chuck Norris, the man. This is a tribute to the awesomeness of the myth of Chuck Norris.”
Being awesome together is the essence of any great workplace, so it isn’t surprising that International Day of Awesomeness has its origin among coworkers.
So what does it really mean to be awesome and to celebrate awesomeness? Read on for the key characteristics of true awesomeness — and how to celebrate it this week in your organization!

The 5 Elements of Awesomeness

“No one’s perfect, but everyone can be awesome,” is the tagline for International Day of Awesomeness. Hear, hear! Awesomeness manifests through actions, so we can all be awesome by simply acting on our natural impulses to be good to one another.
Too often, the busy-ness and competitiveness of the modern workplace leads us to ignore these impulses to do good. “I just don’t have the time or energy,” we convince ourselves. The funny thing is, research shows that giving time to others through acts of kindness and compassion actually increases our sense of productivity.
On International Day of Awesomeness, follow your impulses to be better to others! Awesome people are:

• Kind — There’s a reason kindness is the latest HR trend. It disrupts the workplace pecking order and fosters a culture of happiness.
• Supportive — Encourage and lift other people up. It’ll make you feel better, too!
• Grateful — Remember to tell employees and coworkers how much their work and their presence means to you. There really is no such thing as too much appreciation!
• Positive — Let’s clear up a misconception about positivity: truly positive people aren’t oblivious to problems. But they do consistently seek solutions instead of dwelling on negativity.
• Helpful — Small, helpful acts such as holding a door open, offering to grab lunch for a coworker or leading a team brainstorming session have a disproportionately positive effect. A little effort goes a long way!

How to Celebrate International Day of Awesomeness

Awesomeness happens organically — if you recognize and support it.
It’s important to recognize awesomeness on the spot, spontaneously and as soon as it happens! Flickr members Sean and Lauren hand out “Thanks for being awesome” cards that they make themselves.
“We love giving these to people throughout the day when they do anything to be kind or otherwise cool,” the couple writes.
It’s a “tiny gesture that reaps a huge smile.”
On-the-spot recognition is a best practice for International Day of Awesomeness — and any day! — because the benefits start right away. By recognizing awesomeness right away, you’re encouraging repeat acts of awesomeness and great work overall.
So this International Day of Awesomeness, have fun, share your awesomeness and thank others for theirs!

Want to Build an Every Day Culture of Awesomeness?

Download gThankYou’s FREE Day-to-Day Celebration Calendar  for tips on how to plan daily workplace recognition and organize inspired celebrations throughout the year.
This one-of-a-kind eBook will help you to build an everyday culture of appreciation with month-by-month guides, case studies, research highlights, how-to recognition advice and celebration ideas for specific holidays and anytime.
Click the image below to download your free copy!